Printed circuit boards or IC chip carriers are often required to be connected to a device as an add-on or temporary circuit. Accordingly, convenient to use connectors between such devices are required. With electrical circuits becoming smaller and compact, the electrical connector design is likewise becoming more compact and hence more difficult to achieve. Issues include a reduced lead size in light of closer spaced electrical leads, achieving good contact between the electrical connector and such leads, and simple design and assembly of the electrical connectors.
With reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,593 there is shown an electrical connector having a plurality of conductive elements which merely slide into a connector body. After these conductive elements have been engaged with the connector body, the connector body is inserted into a housing which then securely locates the conductive elements. This arrangement requires a two-part housing arrangement to be provided to securely locate the conductive elements. The conductive elements themselves are formed into a three-dimensional shape by having being individually stamped from a sheet material. Accordingly the conductive elements must be individually handled prior to being assembled with the housing. The assembly of conductive elements with the housing of U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,593 may occur on an individual basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,356 shows an electrical connector having conductive elements which have been folded from a sheet material. The housing of U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,356 however is a two-part housing. The use of barbs ensures that each electrical connector is retained with the housing at least in one direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,394 discloses an electrical connector, also formed by folding of a sheet material. This connector utilizes conductive elements which become engaged with a housing by using a clipping feature to clip the conductive element thereafter preventing the conductive element from being removed. The clipping feature of each conductive element must remain stationary and is effectively held stationary as result of its direct engagement with the housing thereby preventing this clipping feature from moving in the X, Y and Z direction. Accordingly such a clipping feature is required to be provided in a region of the conductive element which is not displaced or required to be displaced to ensure the conductive element is provided in a flexible mode for making the electrical connection with the electrical components.
WO 97/32275 discloses a double compression connector engaged with a single piece housing, wherein the double compression connector is made by folding of a sheet material. The conductive elements have folded ends which are presented in a manner to allow each conductive element to be press fitted into a channel of the housing. This rigidly secures that portion of the conductive element from which the ends extend. This portion of the conductive element is rigidly fixed and cannot move when the contact points of the conductive elements are being engaged with an electrical device.
Such existing connector con be complicated to assemble and manufacture and it will be appreciated that the more components there are to a connector assembly, the more time is required to assemble the connector, which increases the cost of manufacture per item. It would hence be an advantage to have a compression connection design that enables the connector to be assembled and manufactured without complicated components, and requiring many steps to assembly, yet still achieve the desirable characteristics of connectors of this kind.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which has efficient freedom of movement to allow it to function in a single or double compression mode or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a conductive element for the assembly of an electrical connector which is convenient to handle for assembly purposes or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.